Over the past half-century, the CMA Awards have grown from an exclusive, inaugural dinner show held at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium in 1967 with one stage for performances. The show wouldn’t be televised until the following year, when it moved to the Ryman Auditorium. Now, “Country Music’s Biggest Night” presents some of the genre’s highest honors and features dozens of performances on multiple stages during its annual televised awards show. This year, the CMA Awards peaked at a three-year high for viewers, bringing in more than 14.3 million viewers in its 18-49 demographic.
Now, viewers can look back at 50 years of special CMA Awards performances, as the Country Music Association (CMA) has teamed with Time Life for CMA Awards Live: Greatest Moments 1968-2015, a 10-DVD set showcasing 127 memorable moments.
Among those moments are the Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton performance of “Islands In The Stream” that opened the 1983 telecast, Merle Haggard’s 1970 performance of “Okie From Muskogee,” the same year he was named Entertainer of the Year, and more recent performances including Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush,” Florida Georgia Line’s “’Round Here,” and Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take The Wheel” and “Before He Cheats.”
“Our tagline is ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night’ and we’ve got he most quintessential performances, artists and hosts. It’s a time capsule all the way to 1968 of a history of our industry,” CMA Chief Marketing Officer Damon Whiteside tells MusicRow.
The set is the brainchild of Whiteside and Time Life VP Mitchell Peyser, who notes the evolution of technology shown throughout the collection.
“Through the CMA Awards, you see the progression of so many things, including TV and technology,” Peyser says. “You see the progression from standard definition to high definition and mid-2000s when the CMA first started going into high-def. It’s a huge progression.”
The collection highlights the sometimes genre-blurring collaborations that have become synonymous with CMA Awards shows. The set includes the 2015 pairing of “Tennessee Whiskey/Drink You Away” from Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton, Lionel Richie and Alabama performing “Deep River Woman,” Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias’ collaboration on “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before,” the Kenny Rogers/Lionel Richie collaboration of “Lady,” and Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter’s “You and Tequila.”
Other collaborations include Barbara Mandrell’s “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” featuring George Jones, as well as Charlie Daniels Band’s take on “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” featuring Chet Atkins. Additionally included is Johnny Cash/The Carter Family collaboration of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” and the 1993 collaboration of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and Tammy Wynette on “Silver Threads and Golden Needles.”
“There were some quintessential things to feature, like Alan Jackson’s performance of ‘Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning,’ which was such a pivotal moment after 9/11,” Whiteside says. “That was one that a lot of people still really remember.”
Beyond the performances, viewers get classic moments from the awards show’s hosts over the years, including Johnny Cash, Reba, the show’s longest-running host Vince Gill (who presided over the CMA Awards telecast from 1992-2003), and Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, who have hosted he show for the past decade.
“You see that it’s a family when they are up there together,” Time Life’s Peyser says. “Otherwise it’s a string of performances. You get to see hosts bringing on their friends and people they respect. One of the presentations you see in the collection is when Carrie introduces one of her heroes, Reba McEntire, and you can just hear in how Carrie introduces her, there is just so much respect and excitement.”
Peyser estimates that Time Life staffers spent approximately nine months sifting through clips of 50 years’ worth of CMA performances, selecting those standout moments.
“It was a tough choice. Each year could have 12 to 15, or even more performances,” says Peyser.
From there, began the process of obtaining clearances from labels, artists and managers. “We have 127 performances on the collection, and every single performance needed to be approved,” Whiteside says. “Obviously, you have to whittle down the collection because not everything was approved and in some cases, if for some reason something wasn’t approved, or we didn’t hear back, we had to move on to the next in line.”
In addition to the performances, the collection includes numerous artist interviews collected around the CMA’s 50th anniversary show, as well as interviews with CMA CEO Sarah Trahern, CMA Awards executive producer Robert Deaton, and the last interview with the CMA’s longest-running Executive Director, Jo Walker-Meador, who died earlier this year.
“She started the CMA Awards, and we are excited to have that interview; it was great to get some of her perspective, especially given that she is not with us any longer,” Whiteside says.
The set also includes a 44-page booklet, listing top moments throughout the awards show’s history, as well as award winners for each year. The set will officially release more widely to retail early next year. Currently, the set is exclusively available with timelife.com.
“We are having some initial conversations to refresh it next year before it goes to brick and mortar retail, which at some point will happen,” Whiteside says. “Maybe some different, smaller versions of the collection at brick and mortar or bonus content or additional show content to refresh it a year from now.
It’s a fantastic time capsule of country music history, to be able to show five decades of the CMA Awards.”
ANALOG Bows As Nashville’s Newest Nightspot
/by Robert K OermannPhoto: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Hutton Hotel. [Click photo to enlarge]
Dubbed Analog, the entertainment venue has a 300-person capacity and state-of-the-art sound, video and lighting systems. The club’s main floor contains couches and other lounge furniture, a low stage/bandstand and a substantial black-and-chrome bar.
The main floor is flanked by two balcony areas containing private banquettes, overlooks, lounge seating and full-service bars. The décor is moderne deco with ethnic accents. The central wall sports a large, colorful, geometric mural. Music posters decorate the lobby. The Hutton’s parking garage has direct access to the nightspot, which keeps it separate from the boutique hotel’s other functions.
At a Thursday night grand opening party, Dec. 7, music was provided by ATO and Capitol recording artist Allen Stone. The singer-songwriter and his band performed a set of rocking, blue-eyed soul sounds.
The Hutton also unveiled writer’s rooms designed for traveling musicians by singer-songwriters Dierks Bentley and Ryan Tedder. Attending the grand opening party were producer/engineer and Sugar Hill Records executive Gary Paczosa, WRLT music director and DJ Rev. Keith Coes, publishing executive Patrick Clifford, photographer Rick Diamond, publicist Lucy Ballantyne and Premiere Radio Network VP Rick Murray.
Pictured (L-R): Jordan Kaye, Ashley Eicher, Tom Williams, Dominic Sandifer, and Devin DeToro the Grand Opening of Analog at Hutton Hotel on December 7, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Hutton Hotel
Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Hutton Hotel. [Click photo to enlarge]
Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Hutton Hotel
Country Guitar Great Leon Rhodes Passes
/by Robert K OermannLeon Rhodes
Influential, versatile and well-traveled country-music sideman Leon Rhodes has died at age 85.
Best known in Nashville as a longtime guitarist in the Grand Ole Opry staff band, Rhodes was also a regular on the Big D Jamboree in Dallas, was in the house band on TV’s Hee Haw and performed in the road bands of Ernest Tubb, Porter Wagoner and Marty Stuart. His passing on Saturday was noted on that night’s broadcast of the Opry.
Raised in Dallas, Rhodes was playing guitar by age 14. At age 16, he began performing on the Big D Jamboree and at sessions in Jim Beck’s renowned Dallas recording studio for Ray Price, Lefty Frizzell and more. He also became a regular musician in clubs such as the Longhorn Ballroom and nightspots owned by Dallas entrepreneur Jack Ruby.
Leon Rhodes joined Ernest Tubb’s Texas Troubadours band in 1959. While with the ensemble, he wrote and recorded “Honey Fingers,” which became his nickname.
He joined the Opry’s band in 1967. The country variety series Hee Haw launched in 1969. Rhodes spent nearly 25 years in the show’s house band.
He also made the transition from stage musician to recording-studio professional. During the ensuing decades in the studios of Music Row, he backed hundreds of artists.
Rhodes can be heard on records by Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Roy Clark, Crystal Gayle, Mel Tillis, Sammi Smith, Gene Watson, Jean Shepard, Larry Gatlin, Dottie West, George Morgan, John Denver, Moe Bandy, Roy Orbison, Ricky Skaggs, Reba McEntire and George Strait, among others.
He won a Super Picker Award from NARAS in 1976. His allmusic.com profile dubs him, “one of the seven wonders of country-music guitar playing.”
He left the Opry staff band in 1999 when the show purged its veteran musicians in favor of newer talents. Rhodes began touring in Porter Wagoner’s Wagonmasters troupe. Later, he toured backing Marty Stuart and appeared regularly on the star’s Marty Party TV show.
Although best known for his country guitar style flavored with jazz elements, Leon Rhodes had many other abilities. He could also play drums, bass and mandolin; sing lead; repair and/or build guitars; drive a tour bus; play professional-level fast-pitch softball; be a tour accountant or work a variety of jobs required of a traveling or session musician.
In later years, he often returned to the Opry to back Wagoner, The Whites and others stars. Rhodes retired in 2014.
Leon Rhodes is survived by his wife Judi, by daughters Diane Williams, Tonja Polk, Tara Story, Tammy Scragg and Tandy Raynes and by sons Todd, Leon and Tag. He is also survived by 25 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be at Hermitage Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens, Monday, December 11, 2017 from 4-8pm and Tuesday, December 12 from 11-1pm with services to follow. Memorials may be made to Alive Hospice.org.
Music City Roots, Ole Smoky Distillery, Yee-Haw Brewing To Open Entertainment Complex
/by Lorie Hollabaugh[Click photo to enlarge]
“We are all very excited about this new endeavor,” says Joe Baker, Owner of Yee-Haw Brewing Company and Founder of Ole Smoky Distillery. “By providing guests with the best of Tennessee music, beer and moonshine, in a comfortable setting, we are confident that our newest venue will do extremely well in Nashville.”
Guests will also enjoy musical performances as Music City Roots will be curating the live music/entertainment for the venue. Music will be presented day and night with an intimate performance area in the tasting room, a full-production concert stage in the main hall, as well as a broadcast studio for WMOT Roots Radio 89.5 FM. To build anticipation for the new venue, Music City Roots will be hosting a “Roots on the Road” campaign visiting various venues in Nashville and performing and spreading the word about the new location.
“Music City Roots looks forward to continuing to export the diversity and quality of our musical culture to a national and international audience from the heart of Nashville. We are honored to expand our long-term relationship with the great folks at Yee Haw and Ole Smoky by opening what will be an iconic and authentic addition to Music City,” says executive producer Todd Mayo.
The new facility will be Yee-Haw’s second location and Ole Smoky’s fourth location.
Garth Brooks Turns Nashville Opening Night Concert Into Hit-Filled Singalong
/by Jessica NicholsonJudging by the volume level of crowd’s cheers as he opened his set with “Let’s Lay Down and Dance,” “Rodeo,” “Two Of A Kind, Workin’ On A Full House,” and “The Beaches of Cheyenne,” Nashville has clearly been anxiously awaiting its turn to host Brooks’ record-setting tour, which marks seven years since his run of nine sold-out charity shows at the same venue in December 2010, following the Nashville floods.
Last month, Brooks earned his sixth CMA Entertainer of the Year honor, and with the zeal of an everyman prophet and the energy of entertainers half his age, the 55-year-old set about turning the next three hours into one big singalong, as the crowd sang every word to classics including “The River” and “The Thunder Rolls.”
“You gonna keep this pace up all night?” Brooks asked the crowd early in the evening. “All night? I’ll make a deal–you keep this up all night and we’ll play all night.”
Brooks and his longtime band members and background vocalists did more than just play. Consummate entertainers, they took the audience through a review of Brooks classic hits, and the songs wear well, sounding as fresh in 2017 as they did in the ‘90s. Further offering nods to his record-breaking world tours in the mid-‘90s, Brooks threw water bottles into the crowd, and climbed atop the revolving metal structure that surrounded the drum set center stage.
“Tonight, you treated the old songs like they were brand new, and you treated this song like it was the old stuff,” he praised the audience, as he performed his latest No. 1 single, “Ask Me How I Know.”
Pictured (L-R): Andy Elliott – Pearl Records, Glenn Noblit – Pearl Records, Hilary Hoover – Pearl Records, Lesly Simon – Pearl Records, Mitch Rossell – Songwriter, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Mandy McCormack – Pearl Records, Chris Waters – Pearl Records.
Earlier in the day, Brooks welcomed his team to celebrate the song, penned by newcomer singer/songwriter Mitch Rossell, who also opened for Brooks on his Nashville show.
After Brooks introduced wife and powerhouse singer Trisha Yearwood for “In Another’s Eyes,” Yearwood surprised both Brooks and Rossell with an arena-sized No. 1 party, celebrating the No. 1 song with confetti and a noble attempt at having balloons fall over the arena, though a technical malfunction prevented the balloons from falling in a timely manner.
Ever the professional, Yearwood was unfazed by the balloon malfunction, and launched into a string of her own hits, including “American girl (Xs and Os),” “How Do I Live,” “She’s In Love With The Boy,” and a gorgeously soulful turn on “Wrong Side of Memphis” featuring singers Vicki Hampton, Karyn Rochelle and Robert Bailey, that also showcased Yearwood’s scorching lead vocals.
“I think I broke a vocal cord on that one,” she quipped.
She wrapped with “She’s In Love With The Boy,” with the screen behind her turning into a “Kiss Cam,” catching couples in the audience. Appropriately, the song ended with Yearwood and Brooks on the cam, closing the song with a kiss.
Brooks closed out the show with more hits, including “The Dance,” and a special rendition of “Friends In Low Places.”
As he reached the vamp before his “infamous third verse,” he told the audience, “We have not done the third verse on this tour, but that is going to change tonight.”
As the song wrapped and Brooks walked to each side of the stage, he thanked the audience yet again—but they weren’t ready for the night to end.
Perhaps the most potent display of Brooks attentiveness to his fans came when he returned to the stage to take audience requests—and the crowd was more than ready as signs went up around the arena.
He performed songs including “This Ain’t Tennessee,” and “She’s gonna make it,” and welcomed an 11-year-old who was holding up a sign letting Brooks know the opening Nashville show marked his first Garth concert. Brooks also performed two cover tunes “to play what I think country music is all about.” He paid tribute to the late Keith Whitley with “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” and George strait with “Amarillo By Morning,” before making the rounds to thank the rapturous audience again.
“This is the coolest opening night I’ve been a part of,” Brooks summed.
Judging by the crowd’s response, the feeling was more than mutual.
Capitol Christian Music Group Signs Riley Clemmons
/by Jessica NicholsonRiley Clemmons
Riley Clemmons, an 18-year-old Nashville-based pop singer-songwriter, is the newest signee of Capitol Christian Music Group (CCMG), joining a roster that includes Chris Tomlin, Amy Grant, Matthew West, Jeremy Camp, and more.
Clemmons has been working with Emily Weisband (Hillary Scott) and Josh Kerr (Kelsea Ballerini, Danielle Bradbery) alongside Grammy-acclaimed producers Ben Glover (for KING & COUNTRY, Mandisa) and Tedd T (for KING & COUNTRY, Stacie Orrico) for her inaugural collection of music, which includes the debut single “Broken Prayers.”
After spending much of November and December visiting radio markets in advance of the release, including the K-LOVE Christmas Banquet, the honest single is set to impact radio on Jan. 12. SiriusXM exclusively premiered the music video for “Broken Prayers” yesterday (Dec. 7) as a part of their “Hear & Now” Music Blog.
Wheelhouse Records’ Walker McGuire Set Release Date For Self-Titled EP
/by Jessica NicholsonCo-written entirely by the duo with Nashville hitmakers and produced by Mickey Jack Cones, the EP showcases the party-starter “Best Kinda Bad,” the introspective and lyrically ambitious “Mysteries of the World,” and a nostalgic tip of the hat to small town living with “18 Forever.”
Walker McGuire is currently on the road introducing its new music to fans supporting Kane Brown in select cities. The rising act will continue to tour coast-to-coast into 2018 supporting labelmate Granger Smith’s headlining Don’t Tread On Me Tour. The duo will also appear at several major festivals next year including a first-time performance at Stagecoach.
Walker McGuire track listing:
1) “Mysteries Of The World” (Johnny McGuire, Jordan Walker, Chris Dubois, Brent Anderson)
2) “Lost” (Jordan Walker, Justin Wilson, Kristian Bush)
3) “Til Tomorrow” (Jordan Walker, Johnny McGuire, Brian Carper, Trey Matthews)
4) “18 Forever” (Jordan Walker, Marc Beeson, Andrew Albert)
5) “Best Kinda Bad” (Jordan Walker, Johnny McGuire, Brian Carper)
CMA Awards Celebrate 50 Years Of Performances With 10-DVD Set
/by Jessica NicholsonNow, viewers can look back at 50 years of special CMA Awards performances, as the Country Music Association (CMA) has teamed with Time Life for CMA Awards Live: Greatest Moments 1968-2015, a 10-DVD set showcasing 127 memorable moments.
Among those moments are the Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton performance of “Islands In The Stream” that opened the 1983 telecast, Merle Haggard’s 1970 performance of “Okie From Muskogee,” the same year he was named Entertainer of the Year, and more recent performances including Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush,” Florida Georgia Line’s “’Round Here,” and Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take The Wheel” and “Before He Cheats.”
“Our tagline is ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night’ and we’ve got he most quintessential performances, artists and hosts. It’s a time capsule all the way to 1968 of a history of our industry,” CMA Chief Marketing Officer Damon Whiteside tells MusicRow.
The set is the brainchild of Whiteside and Time Life VP Mitchell Peyser, who notes the evolution of technology shown throughout the collection.
“Through the CMA Awards, you see the progression of so many things, including TV and technology,” Peyser says. “You see the progression from standard definition to high definition and mid-2000s when the CMA first started going into high-def. It’s a huge progression.”
The collection highlights the sometimes genre-blurring collaborations that have become synonymous with CMA Awards shows. The set includes the 2015 pairing of “Tennessee Whiskey/Drink You Away” from Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton, Lionel Richie and Alabama performing “Deep River Woman,” Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias’ collaboration on “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before,” the Kenny Rogers/Lionel Richie collaboration of “Lady,” and Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter’s “You and Tequila.”
Other collaborations include Barbara Mandrell’s “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” featuring George Jones, as well as Charlie Daniels Band’s take on “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” featuring Chet Atkins. Additionally included is Johnny Cash/The Carter Family collaboration of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” and the 1993 collaboration of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and Tammy Wynette on “Silver Threads and Golden Needles.”
“There were some quintessential things to feature, like Alan Jackson’s performance of ‘Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning,’ which was such a pivotal moment after 9/11,” Whiteside says. “That was one that a lot of people still really remember.”
“You see that it’s a family when they are up there together,” Time Life’s Peyser says. “Otherwise it’s a string of performances. You get to see hosts bringing on their friends and people they respect. One of the presentations you see in the collection is when Carrie introduces one of her heroes, Reba McEntire, and you can just hear in how Carrie introduces her, there is just so much respect and excitement.”
Peyser estimates that Time Life staffers spent approximately nine months sifting through clips of 50 years’ worth of CMA performances, selecting those standout moments.
“It was a tough choice. Each year could have 12 to 15, or even more performances,” says Peyser.
From there, began the process of obtaining clearances from labels, artists and managers. “We have 127 performances on the collection, and every single performance needed to be approved,” Whiteside says. “Obviously, you have to whittle down the collection because not everything was approved and in some cases, if for some reason something wasn’t approved, or we didn’t hear back, we had to move on to the next in line.”
In addition to the performances, the collection includes numerous artist interviews collected around the CMA’s 50th anniversary show, as well as interviews with CMA CEO Sarah Trahern, CMA Awards executive producer Robert Deaton, and the last interview with the CMA’s longest-running Executive Director, Jo Walker-Meador, who died earlier this year.
“She started the CMA Awards, and we are excited to have that interview; it was great to get some of her perspective, especially given that she is not with us any longer,” Whiteside says.
The set also includes a 44-page booklet, listing top moments throughout the awards show’s history, as well as award winners for each year. The set will officially release more widely to retail early next year. Currently, the set is exclusively available with timelife.com.
“We are having some initial conversations to refresh it next year before it goes to brick and mortar retail, which at some point will happen,” Whiteside says. “Maybe some different, smaller versions of the collection at brick and mortar or bonus content or additional show content to refresh it a year from now.
It’s a fantastic time capsule of country music history, to be able to show five decades of the CMA Awards.”
Exclusive: Downtown Music Publishing Celebrates 10th Anniversary
/by Haley CrowPictured (L-R): Jedd Katrancha, Andrew Bergman, Sean McGraw, Jumee Park, Roberto Neri, Joe Conyers III, Justin Kalifowitz, Taeko Saito, Andrew Sparkler, Steve Markland and Lucas van Slegtenhorst. [CLICK TO ENLARGE]
The three-story party brought together Downtown’s global leadership for the first time ever under one roof. Staff from New York, Nashville, LA, Tokyo, Amsterdam, London and the soon-to-be-open Paris office converged to celebrate 10 years of Downtown with floors themed to the different regions and many Downtown writers in attendance.
Pictured (L-R): “Big Al” Anderson, Ben Caver, Kendell Marvel, Katie Roth, Marc Beeson, Natalie Osborne, Justin Kalifowitz, Steve Markland and Sara Haze. [CLICK TO ENLARGE]
The Downtown Nashville office staff attended the New York party including Markland, Natalie Osborne (Manager of A&R) and Katie Roth (Creative Assistant).
“It was a thrill to bring a touch of Nashville to New York to celebrate Downtown’s tenth birthday with our full staff, and to hear amazing music performed by some of our finest writers,” Markland said.
“Big Al” Anderson performs some of NRBQ’s most beloved songs for the packed crowd. [CLICK TO ENLARGE]
The Downtown Nashville staff and writers sing along with Kendell Marvel. Pictured (L-R): Marc Beeson, Kendell Marvel, Natalie Osborne, Andrew Sparkler, Sara Haze, Justin Kalifowitz, Katie Roth, Jedd Katrancha, Katie Olsufka and Steve Markland. [CLICK TO ENLARGE]
Founded by Justin Kalifowitz in 2007, Downtown Music Publishing has grown from a staff of two to over 80 based all over the world. Downtown’s tech platform Songtrust has grown since its 2011 launch to manage over 1 million song copyrights composed by over 100,000 unique songwriter clients, and this year expanded its global presence to Europe.
The entire global Downtown staff, all together under one roof for the first time ever. [CLICK TO ENLARGE]
YouTube Reportedly Taking Third Swing At Subscription Music Service
/by Eric T. ParkerAccording to Bloomberg‘s sources, YouTube is planning to introduce a paid music service in March.
Internally referred to as Remix, this will mark the third attempt by parent company Alphabet Inc. to compete with Spotify and Apple Inc. The new service is said to include Spotify-like on-demand streaming while incorporating elements from YouTube, such as video clips.
Warner Music Group has reportedly already signed on and discussions are apparently ongoing with Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group, and Merlin, a consortium of independent labels.
The feature goes on to note the optimism of its March target, as YouTube has been in negotiations new deals with Universal and Sony for more than a year while also having a talks with Universal- and Sony-owned Vevo looming early next year.
“YouTube hired former Warner Music executive Lyor Cohen last year to help oversee its music operations and serve as a liaison to the record business. Google folded much of the staff for Google Play Music into YouTube earlier this year, and Cohen announced plans to create a new paid service,” sums Bloomberg‘s Lucas Shaw.
Songwriter Steve Dorff, Actor Stephen Dorff Reveal Andrew Marshall Dorff Memorial Fund
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured, Left Photo: Andrew Dorff. Pictured, Right Photo: Stephen Dorff, Steve Dorff
Songwriter-composer Steve Dorff and actor Stephen Dorff have announced the Andrew Marshall Dorff Memorial Fund in memory of their late son/brother, country music songwriter Andrew Dorff.
In the spirit of Andrew’s favorite time of year, Steve and Stephen Dorff hosted a memorial party yesterday (Dec. 7) to celebrate his life and talents within the country music community. The event will occur annually and any donations made to the memorial fund will support Andrew’s favorite causes.
The Andrew Marshall Dorff Memorial Fund will continue his legacy to uplift a new generation of music lovers. Donations made to the fund will support two initiatives: to help create an endowed scholarship at Belmont University in Andrew’s name that will assist students pursuing a career in songwriting, and to support Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt with its pediatric oncology initiatives.
Andrew Dorff was known in the music world for penning five No. 1 songs for country stars Blake Shelton (“My Eyes” and “Neon Lights”), Kenny Chesney (“Save it for a Rainy Day”), Hunter Hayes (“Somebody’s Heartbreak”), and Rascal Flatts (“Yours if You Want It”). He had other notable chart successes with artists such as Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Old Dominion, and Ronnie Dunn. With over 1,800 songs in his catalog, he left a legacy of many hits to come.
Contributions can be made to the Andrew Marshall Dorff Memorial Fund through The Community Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Donations can also be made on The Community Foundation website, or via mail at: